Scream if you want to go faster…

News this week about a new 10 day ‘Slow Down Festival’ taking place in London, (and beginning on 24 April), to encourage people to slow down, take their time, and appreciate the world around them.

The event will feature workshops focusing on meditation (ummm), art exhibitions (could be interesting), musical performances (yes, I like music), and the ‘lost’ art of letter writing (umm…what?). As an added ‘quirk’ people seen rushing around in London will be issued with ‘mock’ speeding tickets.

Ok.

Now don’t get me wrong, this is a nice idea – I get the concept – but I can’t help but feel that it is a little ill conceived.

Firstly, its being held in London. We don’t want people in London to walk any slower. London seems to be to be split 70/30 between speedy people and dawdlers. How many times have I been rushing to an appointment, and in front of me are a group of tourists/family/friends meandering along and taking up the whole pavement. I don’t want these people to walk any slower, they are holding me up enough as it is.

Secondly, people rush around to get somewhere quicker so they can relax. Its basic knowledge – you move quicker, you get places quicker. I leave work and I get a pace on to the tube so that I can get home quicker (or somewhere else that isn’t work!). Anyone stopping me with a mock speeding ticket while I’m en route home is likely to end up with a punch on the nose. A sentiment that I imagine would be imitated by every other commuter stopped for ‘speeding’.

Thirdly, my walking pace is quite fast. Why should I be harassed by goodwill fascists into changing my pace to a slower one to suit their agenda?

I find the whole thing very bizarre. And the most ill conceived idea of all?

“To kick off the festival, a “Big Slow Walk” across Waterloo Bridge at rush hour, to marvel at one of the city?s most astounding river views “at a snail’s pace”.

Good luck! Those people are going overboard if they think they can hold up the commuter traffic on Waterloo Bridge in rush hour. Those city workers are ruthless.

One Response

Sometimes people just don’t understand that you need to go fast. For example, if I’m having cramps that are almost as bad as labor pains, I think I have the right to drive 50 mph down a residential road so that I can get home. And God help any cop that tries to pull me over and tell me any different.